Despite the increasing progress in medical science, many important unmet therapeutic needs still exist. Actually, addressing unmet medical needs in drug design is a key criterion for medicine development. However, a consensus on the definition of “unmet medical need,” does not exist. The definition could include: lack of effective drugs, or unacceptably high numbers of non-responders; need for safer drugs; poor adherence to the prescribed regimen that may be related to the extent of concordance or compliance in medicine taking, the route of drug administration, etc.
Therefore, the challenge in this field involves both basic and clinical research and requires the identification of disease etiopathology and the underlying molecular determinants. In addition, the development of new drugs against novel targets or of agents with higher selectivity for the existing targets is expected to increase the positive efficacy/risk ratio, thus improving the available therapeutic options. Finally, new strategies for drug administration that could potentially offer a better clinical outcome and an improved quality of life for the patients.
Publications sought for this Research Topic will report on the last advances in the field, from in silico to preclinical development. The contributions will focus on all areas that aim to define and resolve the unmet need for safer and more efficacious therapeutic approaches. Therefore, we welcome original research articles reporting data from theoretical, computational and experimental studies, as well as review papers that provide a critical presentation of: (i) better understanding of a disease for which the unmet medical need is an urgent problem; (ii) validation of new pharmacological targets; (iii) drug design and discovery processes; (iv) development of new formulations. In addition, the search for potential biomarkers of safety and efficacy as well as of genomic determinants that charachterize responders/non-responders to treatment will also be included. Clinical studies might exceptionally be included, only when unraveling novel mechanisms and/or drug repositioning (i.e. novel therapeutic indications).
It should be noted that an accurate chemical and quantitative characterization of active compounds in natural extracts or bioavailability for new formulations are required. Where the proposed strategy should improve the outcome of the current therapies, the use of a reference comparator should be included.
Despite the increasing progress in medical science, many important unmet therapeutic needs still exist. Actually, addressing unmet medical needs in drug design is a key criterion for medicine development. However, a consensus on the definition of “unmet medical need,” does not exist. The definition could include: lack of effective drugs, or unacceptably high numbers of non-responders; need for safer drugs; poor adherence to the prescribed regimen that may be related to the extent of concordance or compliance in medicine taking, the route of drug administration, etc.
Therefore, the challenge in this field involves both basic and clinical research and requires the identification of disease etiopathology and the underlying molecular determinants. In addition, the development of new drugs against novel targets or of agents with higher selectivity for the existing targets is expected to increase the positive efficacy/risk ratio, thus improving the available therapeutic options. Finally, new strategies for drug administration that could potentially offer a better clinical outcome and an improved quality of life for the patients.
Publications sought for this Research Topic will report on the last advances in the field, from in silico to preclinical development. The contributions will focus on all areas that aim to define and resolve the unmet need for safer and more efficacious therapeutic approaches. Therefore, we welcome original research articles reporting data from theoretical, computational and experimental studies, as well as review papers that provide a critical presentation of: (i) better understanding of a disease for which the unmet medical need is an urgent problem; (ii) validation of new pharmacological targets; (iii) drug design and discovery processes; (iv) development of new formulations. In addition, the search for potential biomarkers of safety and efficacy as well as of genomic determinants that charachterize responders/non-responders to treatment will also be included. Clinical studies might exceptionally be included, only when unraveling novel mechanisms and/or drug repositioning (i.e. novel therapeutic indications).
It should be noted that an accurate chemical and quantitative characterization of active compounds in natural extracts or bioavailability for new formulations are required. Where the proposed strategy should improve the outcome of the current therapies, the use of a reference comparator should be included.